To meet the recent demand for higher integration in integrated circuits, pattern formation to a finer feature size is required. Acid-catalyzed chemically amplified resist compositions are most often used in forming resist patterns with a feature size of 0.2 μm or less. High-energy radiation such as UV, deep-UV or electron beam (EB) is used as the light source for exposure of these resist compositions. In particular, while EB lithography is utilized as the ultra-fine microfabrication technique, it is also indispensable in processing a photomask blank to form a photomask for use in semiconductor device fabrication.
Polymers comprising a major proportion of aromatic structure having an acidic side chain, for example, polyhydroxystyrene have been widely used in resist materials for the KrF excimer laser lithography. These polymers are not used in resist materials for the ArF excimer laser lithography since they exhibit strong absorption at a wavelength of around 200 nm. These polymers, however, are expected to form useful resist materials for the EB and EUV lithography for forming patterns of finer size than the processing limit of ArF excimer laser because they offer high etching resistance.
Often used as the base polymer in positive resist compositions for EB and EUV lithography is a polymer having an acidic functional group on phenol side chain masked with an acid labile protective group. Upon exposure to high-energy radiation, the acid labile protective group is deprotected by the catalysis of an acid generated from a photoacid generator so that the polymer may turn soluble in alkaline developer. Typical of the acid labile protective group are tertiary alkyl, tert-butoxycarbonyl, and acetal groups. The use of protective groups requiring a relatively low level of activation energy for deprotection such as acetal groups offers the advantage that a resist film having a high sensitivity is obtainable. However, if the diffusion of generated acid is not fully controlled, deprotection reaction can occur even in the unexposed region of the resist film, giving rise to problems like degradation of line edge roughness (LER) and a lowering of in-plane uniformity of pattern line width (CDU).
Attempts were made to ameliorate resist sensitivity and pattern profile in a controlled way by properly selecting and combining components used in resist compositions and adjusting processing conditions. One outstanding problem is the diffusion of acid. Since acid diffusion has a material impact on the sensitivity and resolution of a chemically amplified resist composition, many studies are made on the acid diffusion problem.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 (JP-A 2009-053518 and 2010-100604) describe photoacid generators capable of generating bulky acids like benzenesulfonic acid upon exposure, for thereby controlling acid diffusion and reducing roughness. Since these acid generators are still insufficient in controlling acid diffusion, it is desired to have an acid generator with more controlled diffusion.
Patent Document 3 (JP-A 2011-022564) proposes to control acid diffusion in a resist composition by binding an acid generator capable of generating a sulfonic acid upon light exposure to a base polymer. This approach of controlling acid diffusion by binding recurring units capable of generating acid upon exposure to a base polymer is effective in forming a pattern with reduced LER. However, a problem arises with respect to the solubility in organic solvent of the base polymer having bound therein recurring units capable of generating acid upon exposure, depending on the structure and proportion of the bound units.
Patent Document 4 (JP 5083528) describes a resist composition comprising a resin comprising recurring units having an acetal group and a sulfonium salt capable of generating an acid having a high acid strength such as fluoroalkanesulfonic acid. Regrettably, the pattern obtained therefrom has noticeable LER. This is because the acid strength of fluoroalkanesulfonic acid is too high for the deprotection of an acetal group requiring a relatively low level of activation energy for deprotection. So, even if acid diffusion is controlled, deprotection reaction can occur in the unexposed region with a minor amount of acid that has diffused thereto. The problem arises commonly with sulfonium salts capable of generating benzenesulfonic acids as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. It is thus desired to have an acid generator capable of generating an acid having an appropriate strength to deprotect an acetal group.
While the aforementioned methodology of generating a bulky acid is effective for suppressing acid diffusion, the methodology of tailoring an acid diffusion regulator (also known as quencher) is also considered effective.
The acid diffusion regulator is, in fact, essential for controlling acid diffusion and improving resist performance. Studies have been made on the acid diffusion regulator while amines and weak acid onium salts have been generally used. The weak acid onium salts are exemplified in several patent documents. Patent Document 5 (JP 3955384) describes that the addition of triphenylsulfonium acetate ensures to form a satisfactory resist pattern without T-top profile, a difference in line width between isolated and grouped patterns, and standing waves. Patent Document 6 (JP-A H11-327143) reports improvements in sensitivity, resolution and exposure margin by the addition of sulfonic acid organic salts or carboxylic acid organic salts. Also, Patent Document 7 (JP 4231622) describes that a resist composition for KrF or EB lithography comprising a PAG capable of generating a fluorinated carboxylic acid is improved in resolution and process latitude such as exposure margin and depth of focus. These systems are based on the mechanism that a salt exchange occurs between a weak acid onium salt and a strong acid (sulfonic acid) generated by another PAG upon exposure, to form a weak acid and a strong acid onium salt. That is, the strong acid (sulfonic acid) having high acidity is replaced by a weak acid (carboxylic acid), thereby suppressing acid-catalyzed decomposition reaction of acid labile group and reducing or controlling the distance of acid diffusion. The onium salt apparently functions as an acid diffusion regulator.
However, a problem of LER arises when a resist composition comprising the foregoing carboxylic acid onium salt or fluorocarboxylic acid onium salt is used in patterning. It would be desirable to have an acid diffusion regulator capable of minimizing LER.